Troop 123 - The Camping Troop

Ask any American what they think of when you say “Boy Scouts” and the vast majority will mention camping and the outdoors. It is as American as baseball, hot dogs, or apple pie. While the association of Boy Scouts and the fun of outdoor adventure is a natural one, it is perhaps more important to understand that camping experiences provide more than just fun.

Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors. It is the outdoor setting that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to live with one another. In the outdoors the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive with purpose. Being close to nature helps Boy Scouts gain an appreciation for the beauty of the world around us. The outdoors is the laboratory in which Boy Scouts learn ecology and practice conservation of nature's resources.

Troop 123 embraces this philosophy and typically have 1 (or more) camping events every month. Most are 1-2 night local camp-outs, but during the summer we have a 1 week BSA summer camp, and a high adventure trip (7-17 days).

Summer Camps:

Every year, Troop 123 goes to a week long BSA summer camp. Most locations are within a 3-4 hour drive, but every 3-4 years we may go further out to discover other new and exciting BSA camps. This is an important bonding trip for all the scouts, and we highly recommend all new scouts join us for this event.

Scouts indicate that summer camp is more than just a place to have fun. It also offers Scouts the opportunity to participate in physically and intellectually challenging activities, introduces them to new and rewarding experiences, and provides them with supportive and caring relationships.

Strong Personal Values and Character.

Reflective and thought-provoking activities are one avenue through which summer camp helps build strong values and character.

Positive Sense of Self-Worth and Usefulness.

Summer camp helps to instill a positive sense of self-worth and usefulness in young people by providing them with service opportunities, as well as positive peer-to-peer and intergenerational communications. In addition, summer camp helps to build young people’s leadership skills, confidence, and self-esteem.

Caring and Nurturing Relationships With Parents, Other Adults, and Peers.

Summer camp builds caring and nurturing relationships by engaging young people in group activities with both peers and adults. And for a majority of Scouts, strong bonds of friendship are developed at summer camp. A Desire to Learn. Summer camp inspires young people to think about nature and consider the environment.

Productive and Creative Use of Time.

Summer camp provides young people with productive and creative uses for their time by offering a valuable mix of both physical and intellectual activities.

Social Adeptness.

Summer camp helps young people to become more socially adept by offering them opportunities to participate in and contribute to team-building activities.

High Adventure

Annually, Troop 123 enjoys a high adventure trip. Every three years, the BSA Jamboree (JAMBO) make our list. Other years we have gone to Alaska, backpacking on Isle Royal, BSA's Seabase, and others. This trip is usually 10-14 days, but that is all dependant on the trip.

Recently there has been some discussion in the Boy Scouts of America community site regarding “High Adventure”. And the question came up as to what the definition of “High Adventure” was or is??

High Adventure is what keeps our boys coming back. We are Boy Scouts and are looking for adventure… it make life fun and challenging. Even Scouts with physical ailments enjoy the challenge, they love to feel success after hiking 26 miles, knowing that they can do it, even though they may have asthma.

High Adventure is a chance to try something you may never experience again. So take adventure to the limit. You'll never forget it